U.S. Mess

It’s been said that an army marches on its stomach. From dining aboard ship to outdoor field kitchens, the military had dinnerware for every occasion. During basic training, a new recruit might be stuck with a metal divided tray, while officers dined with fine china.  Soldiers purchased tankards while in England, and later Germany, to celebrate their unit and mark their accomplishments and of course, to use for the consumption of European beer.